Purdue Accuracy Test: What It Is, Functions, And How It Is Applied
Have you heard of the Purdue accuracy test? As its name indicates, the Purdue precision test is a test that allows you to evaluate the precision of the movements of the person performing it.
It is a tool designed in the 1950s and was initially used in the selection of personnel for jobs that required coordination and skill, but today it is used in the field of psychotherapy.
Here we will learn about the characteristics of the Purdue precision test, the material required to perform it, the parts and what the test consists of, as well as how to evaluate it and its possible uses.
The Purdue precision test is a test developed by industrial psychologist Joseph Tiffin in the Department of Industrial Psychology at Purdue University, United States.
Said test allows you to evaluate coordination, as well as two types of manual activity : gross movements of the fingers and arms and fine digital dexterity. On the one hand, it evaluates hand-eye coordination, and on the other hand, it evaluates the superficial movements of the arms, hands and fingers, and tests the fingertip in relation to finer and more precise movements.
To carry out the Perdue precision test, a series of essential physical elements are required that we will see below.
Material to do it
The Purdue precision test has the following elements.
This wooden board has two columns. Each of these columns consists of 25 holes approximately half a centimeter in diameter.
At the top of the columns there will be 4 cavities for a specific number of pegs, tubes and washers, distributed as follows: at the ends (right and left) the pegs will be arranged. In the center there are two positions to occupy, which will be filled in the following way: on the side of the dominant hand, the tubes will be placed, and on the side of the non-dominant hand, the washers will be placed.
2. A stopwatch
The stopwatch is essential to measure the time of each test which forms the Purdue precision test, and has an impact on its results.
Parts of the test
The test consists of various parts that are summarized here. In all these parts, it is necessary to take into account and inform the person who will have a small period of time to become familiar with the pieces (tubes, washers and dowels) and practice. The Purdue precision test can be considered a tool to measure patient progress.
1. Part I
With the dominant hand, insert as many pins as possible, within a time limit of 30 seconds The idea is to insert the pins as quickly as possible. The exercise is timed, and in the event that a piece falls, time should not be wasted looking for it, but instead pick up another one.
In this part what is valued is the coordination of the dominant hand.
2. Part II
This part of the test is the same as the first, but with the difference that the non-dominant hand is used to do it So with your non-dominant hand, insert as many pegs as you can, within a time limit of 30 seconds.
The person is reminded that they must go as fast as they can, that they will be timed and that if they drop a piece they should not waste time looking for it, but rather pick up another one. In this part what is valued is the coordination of the non-dominant hand.
3. Part III
This part follows the lines of the previous two. In this case, the person must insert as many pegs as possible on both sides, with the use of both hands at the same time same in a time limit of 30 seconds.
Once again he is reminded that he must go as fast as he can, that he will be timed and finally that if he drops a piece he should not waste time looking for it, but rather pick up another one. In this part what is valued is bimanual coordination.
4. Part IV
This last part consists of an assembly task The idea is to carry out a coordinated and stipulated sequence that consists of: inserting a pin – a washer – a tube – another washer. It should be done alternating the use of both hands and always starting with the dominant hand. For this test exercise you have 60 seconds.
In this last part of the test, what is assessed is bimanual coordination in an alternating manner, so that the person will be explained that While one hand is inserting a piece, the other hand should be picking up the next piece to be inserted
Evaluation form
The scores, and consequently the results of the Purdue accuracy test, They are stipulated by the following parameters :
With all this, variables such as sex, age, or pathologies of the patient are taken into account so that the percentiles of each person are subject to these variables.
Uses and applications
There are several uses for the Purdue Accuracy Test application. Initially, When it was designed and created, it could be used in personnel selection processes since it allowed fingerprint ability to be evaluated, as well as manual precision.
These skills are important in jobs handling fine parts, sewing machines, production lines, assembly, and maintenance, for example.
But Its field of applicability is more linked to the psychotherapeutic field ; It is used in tests for brain damage and brain injuries, for those who are going to perform movement therapies (as a tool to evaluate the patient’s progress), for the diagnosis of learning problems, to evaluate vocational rehabilitation needs, and also in diagnosis for people with dyslexia.
On the other hand,** it is a test of special interest in occupational therapies**, which are those therapies in which various activities are carried out.
These therapies are aimed at people with limitations due to physical damage or illness, disabilities or cultural deficiencies, and their objective is to maximize the independence of these people, as well as prevent future disabilities and maintain good health.
